2nd Orb - 15th of Rebirth's Decline

[shadedsunlight]

[Ginia can be seen in the orb, sitting up in bed with several pillows propped behind her. She's still dressed in modest sleeping clothes and there's some sort of wine skin propped up against her chest. She smiles and gives a small wave before holding up a pre-written message in front of the orb. The message is held up for awhile, giving someone enough time to read it.]

A friend and I have come under some unfortunate injuries. Is there a healer or some kind of doctor around, preferably someone who can mend broken bones? I can pay for your time and service or some other arrangement can be made. I heard there was a White Mage around, but it doesn't seem like he's here anymore.

Also is there someone that can repair leather armor? I also need some knives made.

[The message is moved away. Ginia flips to the next page in her journal and holds up another written message. This one being far longer, spans over several pages.]

After talking to some of the locals, I've found some interesting rumors, far better than the usual noisy gossip. I think these are things worth looking into.

1) There's an old temple in the Mountains from before the Wall Fell that someone raided last year. The item is unknown but speculated to be some kind of old artifact. No one's heard anything since, so it might have just been melted down for the gold. Rumor has that the Dragon Sisters started fighting around the time it was stolen as well.

2) Trade with the Unknown Lands had already dried up long before the Thorns were discovered. No one's quite sure why.

3) The princess from across the sea, rumored to be the most beautiful and fair in the world, had some sort of accident with a sea serpent, and was turned into a mermaid in order to get her beauty back.

4) Prince Charming spent a long amount of time at the old capital last year. Everyone was sure he'd found The One, but then near the end of the Decline of the Great Cold, he headed for the shore line and hasn't spent more than a month per town since.

Perhaps these are things we could look into. I'm interested in the old temple and the princess myself. If there is a princess from across the sea, perhaps there's a kingdom as well.

Comments

[shiromadoushi]

I'd have a hard time saying no to that, if it wouldn't be to much trouble.

[folklorist]

Making sweets is never any trouble as far as I'm concerned. [ A chipper laugh as he lets Bakura leave and follows in suit, closing the door behind him lightly. ] And specific kind you'd prefer?

[shiromadoushi]

Any type is fine! Really, as long as it's not heavily frosted, I'm a big fan of any sort of sweet.

[folklorist]

Ah! Very well. I'll get started on them right away. Y-You know where Ginia is. I'll, um, leave you to it then. Th-thank you once again for everything.

[shiromadoushi]

[[nods]] It was no trouble! Until later...

[[and he heads back down to where Ginia is waiting]]

[shadedsunlight]

[While Bakura was upstairs healing and chatting with Helios, Ginia made herself busy downstairs. A kettle full of water was boiling over a fire, some cookies were set out for a snack, and Ginia had settled down in a chair to write.

She's enjoying a cookie herself when the white mage comes back downstairs. Ginia offers a wave and a smile. All better?]

[shiromadoushi]

[[Bakura waves in return, eyes lighting up at the homy display of tea and cookies]]

All taken care of! Ready for your turn?

[shadedsunlight]

[Ginia nods and sits up a little more in her seat. Definitely.]

Bruised rib, right side. It could be a crack, but it's hard to tell. No broken skin though. Anything I need to do?

[shiromadoushi]

[[Shakes his head with a smile]]

Just relax.

[[closing his eyes, he again pulls his energy to the front, the soft cool glow building around him once more before condensing in his hands. With a slow gesture, he gently sends it out, his consciousness following as the magic sinks in, smoothing and soothing every upset nerve as it passes thought to find the affected area. Wrapping around the hairline fracture, it sinks in, urging the bone to knit together, feeding it so that it can heal rapidly]]

[shadedsunlight]

[Relaxing is not something that comes natural to Ginia, but she does her best. At least she's a good patient, keeping still as Bakura works. It reminds her of Nala's magic back in Luceti - god, does she miss being able to use magic and heal herself - and she smiles, even relaxes a little as the magic does its job.]

[shiromadoushi]

[[Slowly, he pulls back, the cool, invigorating feeling lingering slightly as his eye slowly open. He looks a touch unsteady, as if not fully awake, but smiles]]

Better?

[shadedsunlight]

[The ache is gone and each inhale no longer hurts. Ginia smiles and nods, though the unsteadiness doesn't go unnoticed. It reminds her a little of how Helios looks after he's used too much magic and it worries her.]

Yes, thank you very much. But are you okay?

[shiromadoushi]

Aaa-- I'm fine, I'm fine! [[assures, waving his hands back and forth]] It just takes me a bit to get back sometimes, don't worry!

[[and indeed he is looking more awake as time passes. It'd different healing something like this than taking care of the minor concerns of the natives. He put far more of himself into his magic this time.]]

[shadedsunlight]

Go on, take a seat, help yourself to the tea and cookies. If there's more I can do, please let me know.

[shiromadoushi]

Just this is fine! [[assures with a warm smile]]

Aa! [[just remembers]] You were going to tell me what you meant about the White Mage not being around. The one at the monastery’s still here, I'm sure.

[shadedsunlight]

[So be it, though Ginia makes a mental note to find a way to pay Bakura back later. Perhaps with cookies, lots of them.

At the request, Ginia takes out a separate sheet of paper, her notes already written down. He's welcome to keep that one.]

There was an old White Mage around, very old. Rumored to be the oldest man alive in Schwanheim. Or at the time, no one's sure where he is now. Some believe he finally died, others say he sold his soul to a demon for eternal life, others say he's off vacationing somewhere much nicer.

[shiromadoushi]

So not the really young one, then? I didn't know there was another one before...

[shadedsunlight]

News to me too. Do you think the old one trained the young white mage?

[shiromadoushi]

Maybe... You'd think that'd be a pretty likely succession! Maybe the younger one got strong enough so the older one could retire?

[shadedsunlight]

[Ginia nods, considering the possibility. It's likely enough, but then where did the old White Mage go?]

I wonder where he really is? The old White Mage, I mean. [Sea? Mountains? Hiding out in the temple in the mountains?]

[shiromadoushi]

Maybe he went to another world? If the younger White Mage could bring us here, why couldn't the older use similar to make himself leave?

[shadedsunlight]

[For a second, Ginia allows herself to hope and wish. It's foolish, she knows, but if they can be brought from other worlds, could they be sent to other worlds when everything was over?

Foolish. Unfounded. Too painfully hopeful.]

That's a very interesting idea. Maybe he's off sunning on some beautiful beach world.

[shiromadoushi]

Maybe. Or he could have gotten "lucky" and wound up in another world that's calling for people. There are enough of them, after all!

[shadedsunlight]

You sound like you're familiar with the idea.

[shiromadoushi]

The place I lived before this was another one of those worlds. [[There's a touch of a wistful expression on his face as he explains]] I'm sure there must be a lot of them if people wind up going from one to another.